Our Journey So Far: Portlethen & District Community Allotment Association
Portlethen & District Community Allotment Association began as a constituted group in April 2015 with number of enthusiastic local residents keen on establishing a community allotment in Portlethen and over the years we attended various local fayres and galas raising awareness and raising funds for our group going forward.
We engaged with the council and local farmers, but no ground was available to us until around 2021 when the current site at Hillside was offered by the council. This land had been part of the deal between the council and the builders of the new Hillside housing project dating back to around 2001 or so. The council levelled the ground and created a physical plan for our allotments as it was used as a spoil heap for the construction of Hillside housing. We as a committee were in limbo at this point due to legal issues regarding access to the site but reformed in November 2023 as a new committee to take things forward.
Once the legal issues were resolved, our fundraising efforts really took off and in our first year alone, we managed to fence the entire site, purchased our large polycrub and shed, stocked up on all the tools, staging, and water troughs we need to get growing. We planted hundreds of trees and hedging gifted to us, put in hardcore access to our polycrub, set out all allotment footprints and have let all but two plots since March 2025.
We now have a positive waiting list for our growing spaces and as of the 7 August when we became a charity.
Each member had a blank canvas to work from as it was just a grassy field and four pegs in the ground to work from. Members went at it with enthusiasm as you will see in the photographs with consideration for things like no dig options and many raised beds to cultivate a large variety of vegetables and flowers on an organic basis.
We had allocated each school in Portlethen a half plot and this was an amazing success with many pupils participating so enthusiastically and wanting to return as soon as they can.
The allotment also supported the local youth club, Lairhillock School and Newtonhill Cubs who we supplied plants to and soon the Fairview home in Aberdeen with visits to plant seeds.
We have an ethos of sustainability in our growing and recycling system where we can and encourage water retention through run off from our shed and polycrub roofs as well as supporting the local wildlife by providing nest and owl boxes. We are currently looking for funds to set up compost toilets for the school and members to use and a nature pond supporting native plants and aquatic beasties.
Our greatest support comes from amazing local population. We had good support from some local businesses who provided free topsoil, low-cost compost, and donations of collars for raised beds and wood chips along with discounted tools particularly for the schools. These make an enormous difference to keeping our costs low and engaging with our community businesses. We nearly have 400 members including councillor/s, MSPs and MPs who promotes the benefits of the allotment to our community.
Overall, we’re so proud to call this a great place to visit, sit, reflect and chat with members over a brew and perhaps sample the produce grown! It is wonderful to experience the vision we had 10 years ago of a community space open to all where you can grow produce, form friendships, gain knowledge and come away with a feeling of wellbeing.
Check out their website Portlethen and District Community Allotment Association and find them Facebook